The Beast Within
by Fulgour
Summary: A stranger comes to Sunnydale to help Buffy master the one demon that she cannot alone... the Beast Within
1. Default Chapter

The Beast Within:  
  
HI ya'll, if you wondering, I should have the next chapter to Eutopia done within the week. Sorry about the delay, but I've been on holidays. Standard disclaimer; I don't own anything I'm talking about, so don't nobody sue me. This is my first BtvS fic, and my second fan fic ever, so please be kind and review. If you're wondering about Wolf, NO he is NOT based on Wolverine from X-Men. Seriously. No, really. Well... maybe a little. But Wolf would kick Wolverines ass. This story is based just after Glory got her ass kicked. Dawn has become human. Anya has stayed, but Riley has gone (Yay!) On with the story...  
  
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Journey with me into the mind of a maniac,  
Doomed to be a killer since I came out the nutsack.  
I'm in a murderers mindset  
With a heart full of terror,  
I see the devil in the mirror.  
-NWA  
  
"Ouch!" The rather large demon paused at Buffy's statement, before rushing in to attack. "Oh, no you don't" Admonished the slayer, as she back flipped, catching the ugly's chin with a boot. Buffy grinned smugly, and pulled her hair out of her face, "Slayer, 1, ugly demon-guy, 0" Her grin froze, and slowly died, as the now-extremely pissed off demon rose. It wasn't the demon that had slowed the slayer, it was the fact that there was now ten vampires behind it. She sighed "Why the hell do I ever listen to Giles? I'd like to see him do this. Yeah, he could slay, and I could do the whole watchy thing." Buffy was tied. She had been patrolling since nine o'clock, and it was currently one thirty. All because of some stupid bet she had made with Giles. She was on her own because the Scoobys had gone to the Bronze. She had been invited, but felt the beginnings of the fifth wheel syndrome. Willow had Tara, Xander had Anya, but she was alone, ever since Riley had left. 'Besides' she thought to herself 'I don't want their sympathy'  
"Enough of your feeble banter, human!" Growled the demon - 'Sycosis Demon' a voice, sounding worrying like Giles corrected in her head. "Now is your time to die! Kill her!" The vampires, moved forwards quickly. Buffy took up a defensive stance, whipping out a stake. "Ok, which one of you suckers wanna be first" she asked, her light tone belittling her tense stance. The vampires moved menacingly forwards, before halting steps away from Buffy. The demon and Buff looked at the vampires in confusion. Why weren't they attacking? They looked at her fearfully, nervously shuffling their feet, not wanting to attack, but fearing to retreat. "Oh. Great. Finally, some vampires with enough sense not to attack." She groaned, "Why couldn't you guys have been around a few years ago?" They ignored her completely, which annoyed the young slayer immensely "Hello? Don't tell me I spent hours learning a witty repartee for nothing?" With a start, she realised they weren't looking at her they were looking past her, at something behind her. She started to turn, but stopped, smacking the palm of her hand against her head. "Come on. Do you seriously believe I'll fall for that one? Give the slayer some credit here!" The demon had seemed to have made a quick getaway, and the vampires remained motionless. Buffy was getting seriously pissed. "Hey! You, vampire. Me, vampire slayer. We, fight, which results in you, dead. Lets get on with it!" Buffy stamped her foot, which seemed to break their trance, and the nine vampires, who would attack an army, and/or a slayer with only joy in their hearts, broke, and fled howling. Buffy stood, to bemused to follow, slowly shaking her head. "Well, that's gotta be one for the record books" She spoke out loud, before realising she was standing in the middle of a cemetery by herself. "Gotta stop talking to yourself out loud, girl" She reproached herself, out loud. "Don't worry, it really isn't a sign of madness" A voice assured her. She spun, stake coming up, and froze, as she saw a guy standing six feet away from her, hands held up placating. "you're human" She stuttered out before regaining her senses, and clamping a hand across her mouth. He simply raised an eyebrow, reminding her of the Rock. "Of course your human, I mean, its not like you could be a demon, because demon's don't exist, and you don't look like an animal, not that I'm saying you are..." She trailed off, realising he hadn't lost his amused expression. "Who are you" She asked simply. He grinned at her.   
"My name is Wolf" Buffy just looked at him, wishing she could do the eyebrow trick. He grinned again, this time sheepishly "Jason Wolfgang. Everyone calls me Wolf." She looked... Wolf over. He was about six four, two hundred and twenty pounds, and looked to be hard muscle, from what she could see under the long black overcoat, and the skintight black T-shirt. "What was it with mysterious guys, and black clothes" She wondered taking in the rest of the outfit, black leather trousers, and black army boots. Over all, he looked... like Angel. She didn't want to say it, and although Wolf, looked physically stronger, he looked a lot like Angel. "I know what your thinking" Wolf said softly, mistaking the look on her face Buffy startled looked back towards his face, but he stopped her before she could speak, "But don't worry," He leaned closer, and whispered "I don't bite" Buffy, gave a small, un-Buffy like shriek, as Wolf, stepped back, amused. He looked like Angel, dressed like Angel, and talked like Angel... But wasn't Angel. "are you okay?" He asked, though was obviously not concerned "Who are you?" Buffy repeated through clenched teeth. He coughed, which sounded suspiciously like a laugh "A friend" He replied. Buffy was slowly getting angry. 'If he says what I think he's going to say' Buffy thought fuming, "What if I don't want a friend?" She gritted out, growing angry. 'If he says it, if he dares...'  
Wolf smiled "I didn't say I was..." He was cut off as Buffy, with what sounded like a snarl, shoulder charged Wolf, putting him on the ground "Okay, Ow!" commented Wolf, as he lay flat on his back. He started chuckling, stopping quickly as Buffy clenched her fist above him "Okay, time out" He pleaded. Buffy reluctantly let him up. "Who are you really!" Buffy shouted, Wolf shrugged,  
"I'm a friend, hey!" he stepped back as Buffy took a step towards him "Let me finish. I'm a friend of Angels"   
"So, what, this is Angel's idea of a joke?" She spat at him angrily. He smiled and shook his head. "I was in LA for a while, and I helped out Angel a few times. He told me about you, when I said I was going to Sunnydale for a visit." She shook her head vehemently "Angel wouldn't have told you!" She accused.  
"Well he only told me your name, and where I could find you." He shrugged "I asked the receptionist... Cordelia?" Buffy nodded at his questioning look, "what was up with you, and she was more than happy to fill me in." Buffy groaned silently. She could picture Cordelia. "Buffy? Oh, she's like, this mad vampire slayer in Sunnydale... Did you know she tried to kill me once?" But that still didn't answer her question "Why are you in Sunnydale?" Wolf shrugged.  
"Truthfully?" Buffy nodded. "You." He said. Buffy frowned.  
"What do you mean, me?"  
"I mean, I came here to see what the famous slayer was like." He grinned "Do you know, the first time I heard about you, the slayer who had killed the Master, it was around a small campfire in Canada?" He laughed "Demon's were telling ghost stories, and one of them started telling a spooky story about the slayer." Buffy grinned back, embarrassed. "So," He continued "I decided to see if I could find this slayer myself. I travelled through eighteen states, before finding you were somewhere in California. I took a plane flight to LA, and ran into Angel." He shrugged "You know the rest." Buffy's beeper went off, startleing them both. She looked at it, and turned to Wolf "I gotta go, Giles, my watcher will start to freak if I don't show up soon." He nodded seriously.  
"Is there somewhere we could meet tomorrow?" She hesitated briefly. She didn't know this guy, and he had a dangerous air around him. Something about him she couldn't place. On the other hand, Angel trusted him... Buffy nodded briefly "We can meet at the Bronze tomorrow, say, sixish?" Wolf nodded. "Good!" Buffy smiled, "I have to go..."  
"Buffy?" called Wolf, as she turned away. She turned back, dread filling her.  
"Where is the Bronze?"  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
"Wolf, you say his name was?" Buffy nodded confirmingly. She was back at the Magic Shop, and been greeted by the relieved Scoobys. 'a bit of an overreaction' she thought bemused, when confronted by Giles, Xander, Willow, and Tara, and, for some reason, Spike, all looking worried, until she had walked in. The expressions on their faces had been easy to read. Giles had said 'Thank God! She's safe!' to 'erp, she wouldn't like it if she knew how worried I was'. Xanders had been 'Riley is a dead man! Riley is so... Buffs back! She didn't have an emotional breakdown! Thank God! Damn! she looks hot in that leather..." Anya's had been   
'That stupid slayer has gone and killed herself. Oh, well. Maybe Xander and I can have more sex now. Oh. She's back. Hey! What the hell is Xander staring at!' Willow and Tara's thoughts had been 'Ohmygodohmygodohmygod,' as the door opened 'Buffy's safe! But maybe its not Buffy, maybe it's a clone, or a evil robot, or its Spike playing a trick, cause he likes tricks, like that time...' One look at Spike's leer, and Buffy shuddered, not wanting to know what he was thinking about. "Buffy?" Giles voice broke though her musing   
"Yes?" She asked. Giles was staring at her with a worried frown.  
"You, what's the term these days, 'zoned out' for a minute there" Buffy shrugged, trying to look chipper than she felt "No biggie, just going over the fight" Giles nodded, apparently satisfied "I can't find anything about any demon called Wolf in this." Buffy shrugged  
"I guess it was a long shot"  
Giles wearily pinched the bridge of his nose "Can you recall anything about him? His appearance, movements, speech patterns, that sort of thing?"  
Buffy shrugged, thinking back "Well, I was facing off these vampires, when..." Her voice trailed off in shock. "Buffy?" Giles asked, concerned. Buffy turned to him in awe "The vampires I were facing..." Giles nodded  
"Yes, ten of them, I believe you said, ran off for no reason..." His voice trailed off too as he realised the significance. "And this Wolf chap was standing right behind you?" Buffy nodded. The two of them stood in silence, contemplating this development. "Giles?" Buffy asked in a low voice "What would scare the hell out of ten hungry vamps?"  



	2. 

  
  
  
When darkness be closin in  
I'm motivated, with the howlin wind  
with a list of chosen men, frozen in sin  
Knowin that your end is beginnin  
Swift silent and deadly  
There's no defendin my plots, I know your every movement  
For six months I watch, coulda gotchu at your baby's mother's house  
Even at your down-low weed spot  
But the backdrop, wasn't flattering enough  
I didn't want people gathering and stuff {*cameras click*}  
Snapshots of blood splattering from the snuff  
Here - puff this here, while I figure which way, to split yo' wig  
Right now you as nervous, as a Farmer John pig  
As I dig into my tragic bag, take out the HK  
Twist on the silencer, insert the thirty-shot mag {*WHOOSH*}  
Bullet stuck to his brain like a mack  
Skull in fragments, I leave the cleanup to Dragnet   
- Dr Dre  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Giles sighed, and slammed the dusty book down in frustration, causing Willow to jump slightly, and shriek, which in turn startled Anya, who dropped a large, heavy volume 'The works of Mastepheos; Artistic Revenges of the 4th Century' on Xanders foot, which in turn caused him to curse. Giles looked up to see three glares from the others. "What?" He asked in confusment.   
Xander sighed "Anything on our friendly wolf?" He asked Giles. Giles shrug his shoulders "It depends," He started, pinching the bridge of his nose, gathering his thoughts. Willow gestured for him to continue "There are not many creatures that would scare a vampire, let alone ten of them"   
"Vampires don't seem to be the the brightest creatures of the night" Xander quiped, with a grin. Giles let out a long suffering sigh, loud enough to be heard over Willows sniggers. "Quite" He stated "Vampires are famed for their fearlessness, their ferosity, refusal to back down" He rambled. "The fact that they will recklessly attack Buffy, the Slayer, without a thought to their own personal safety is proof of that fact"  
"So, what is Buffy's new friend?" Xander asked, concerned. Giles sighed, again "There are few demons that could scare vampires so deeply, but none that could take human form without strong magic" Willow looked up "Hey, thats where I come in!" she stated, cheerful she could be of some use. Giles cut her off with a wave of his hand "The power it would take to disquise the demons would be strong enough to kill all but the strongest witch's." He admitted.   
"Oh"  
Giles looked down at the book for a second "I've narrowed it down to one type of demon, that is strong enough to frighten vampires out of their wits, and powerful enough to appear human" The others brightened up considerably at this news. "But" Giles continued, "Thats a Morpheus Demon" The others (apart from Anya, who had sat down rather suddenly, in shock) looked at each other in confusion. "And thats... bad?" Xander guessed, Giles nodded "The last Morpheus demon was seen in the city off... Antlantis" Xander looked confused as realisation slowly dawned in Willow and Tara "Your point being?" Xander asked. Anya turned to him "That demon, I think his name was Tjardi, knew he was the last of his kind. He decided to take the greatest human achievment with him." She whispered.   
"Tjardi demons were reputed to be totally evil. Unlike other demons ,they didn't strive for world domination or destruction, they merely want to hurt and kill as many people as they could in their lifespan." All five looked shaken at the news.   
"G, Giles?" Tara asked in a timid voice, Giles looked at her tiredly "Yes, Tara?"  
"Wh, when is Buffy meeting with this guy?" Giles looked down at his pristine watch, his eyes opening with alarm as he noted the face. He looked up in shock. "Now"  
  
Buffy sighed, and looked a her watch. 'I'm being stood up by some demon' she thought to herself wryly 'I really need a life'   
"Hey"   
Buffy spun around, to see the mystereous Wolf standing a few feet away. Buffy forced herself to breath slowly, calming her heart rate "sneaking up on slayers is a bad habit. You know, like smoking?" Wolf laughed "I can see the add 'Sneaking kills!" Buffy grinned in amusment before remembering where she was, and that she was supposed to be mad at him. She scowled "Okay, Mr Mystery, its time for your introduction" He smiled, a bit evily, she noticed.  
"You are Buffy. Your watcher in Ripper Giles. Your best friends are Willow Rosemberg and Xander Harris. I don't need you to introduce them to me." he leaned closer "I know them already" She looked at him sparks of worry beginning, wishing they were somewhere less crowded, so she could throw him through a few walls to find out what exactly he knew. He grinned and stepped closer. "You want to hurt me, don't you" He whispered in her ear. She gritted her teeth, refusing to be drawn in to his game. He pulled his head back until they were face to face. "Do it" He whispered. She looked away trying to supress her rising rage, and mounting confusion. He put his face back near her ear "I can be at your house in three minutes. Dawn will be dead in four" She reared back as if slapped. He grinned, coldly this time. "She, and the others, Willow, Anya, Tara, Xander, Giles, and Joyce, will not see tomorrow morning, unless you stop me." Heart hammering in fear, she knew that he was very serious. "If you ge near her..." Buffy started, before being cut off "They will die unless you stop me." He looked at his watch, as Buffy stepped closer to him, about to put a stake through him, crowded club or no crowded club. "Oh, I'm sory, I've got an appointment in three minutes." He grinned as Buffy's fear level raised through the stratosphere "Bye" He turned and ran. Buffy was motionless for a second, before running after him in desperation. She was gaining on him when a hand reached out and caught her. "Well, looky what we've found!" The vampire didn't get a chance to say any more as Buffy, fueled with fear for sister simply ripped his head from his shoulders, which rapidly turned to dust. A second one punched her to the back of her head, causing her to stumble slightly. She whirled, putting a stake through its heart, then, pulling out second stake, she spun, not stopping until the other four vampires were dusted. Buffy looked down the street, but Wolf was out of sight. With a cry of dispair, she ran as fast as she could towards her house.  
  
The doorbell rang. Joyce Summers stood up and opened the door, to see a handsom young man, who vaguely reminded her of someone she couldn't remember. Her suspicions arroused, she made sure to stay inside the threshhold. "Can I help you?" She asked. The young man grinned sheepishly in reply "Ah, Mrs Summers?" Joyce nodded "Hi, my name is Jason. Um, your daughter, Buffy asked me to meet her here" Joyce's original suspicions quelled slightly at the Jason's nervousness, but she quickly reminded herself of Darla. "She's not here right now, do you mind waiting?" She asked, stepping out of the doorway. It was an invitation without being an invitation. Joyce gave a silent sigh of relief as Jason stepped through the doorway. She closed the door, and turned to him with a smile. 'The living rooms through there. I'm sorry I can't keep you company, but I have to finish this artifact count." Jason nodded, and sat down on the couch, trying to look interested at the infomercials on TV. She didn't want to leave a stranger in her living room, but she had to finish this... Coming to a quick decision, she called out, "Dawn! Could you come here please?" A rapid patter of footsteps preceeded Dawn, and she landed with a thump at Joyce's feet. Dawn looked inquisitively at her "Could you keep this young man company, please?" Until your sister comes home?" Dawn grumbled, about to refuse when she caught sight of the man in question. Her eyes widened, and she nodded rapidly. "Good" Joyce smiled, and made the prelimery introductions, before returning to the kitchen. Dawn looked the stranger over in awe 'Damn' she thought 'I don't know where Buffy found this one, he is certainly an upgrade from Riley!' "Hi" She said brightly "I'm Dawn" She held her hand out. Jason smiled, and shook her hand "Jason. Although my friends call me Wolf"  
  
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Dum dum dum dum!!  
  
  



	3. 

Hi y'all, heres the next chaptor for The Beast Within  
Enjoy.  
  
*Disclaimer: Joss is mighty and all-powerfull! We mortals have no claim to Buffy, or any of the charactors except for Wolf!*  
  
  
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Buffy burst through the door gasping for air. "Dawn! Dawn! Where are you?" She shouted, fear filling her voice. A muffled gasp came from the kitchen, and Buffy rushed through, heedless to the danger. "Mom!" She shouted in horror. Her mother was lying on the floor, a pool of blood surrounding her head like a demonic halo. Buffy rushed to her in a panic, and with shaking fingers, felt for a pulse. Buffy sighed with relief as she found a strong, steady pulse beneath her finger. She sighed with releif, before remembering Wolf's words "Dawn will die tonight..." In a panic, she looked around. "Dawn! Where are you?" She rushed upstairs, and franticly searched the rooms, to no avail. She rushed back down, hoping against hope that Dawn was hiding under the couch, or some other unlikely place... A crash from behind startled her, and she swung around with a back fist, connecting with something soft. "Ow!" A familier voice complained "What the hell's your problem, slayer?" Spike stood before her, holding his bleeding nose.   
  
Buffy grabbed Spike by his shirtfront, lifted and slammed him against the wall "What are you doing here Spike?" Spike grimanced  
"What's gotten into you, Slayer? Not allowed to visit a 'friend'?" Buffy pulled him back slightly, and slammed him again. "Ow!" Spike growled "What is it with you?"   
"Spike" Buffy warned in a low, dangerous voice. Spike sighed.  
"Look, I was in the neighbourhood, when I smelt alot of blood. I figured you were holding a party or something. I dunno, maybe that poof Angel came for a visit." He shrugged. "I guess you're not in the party mood" Buffy let him go in discust. Spike looked on in interest as Buffy, remembering her fallen mother, picked up the phone, and dieled 911. Spike ambled off in the direction of the kitchen, curious to the large quantities of blood he could smell, as Buffy talked urgently to the operator. Buffy hung up, and shook herself, before picking up the phone to call Giles and the others. A voice distracted her "Bloody hell!" Buffy rushed to the kitchen to see Spike staring in shock at Joyce, who hadn't moved.   
"Spike, stay away from her" Buffy warned, she turned to go back to the phone, but couldn't ignore the confused look of awe on Spike's face, and turned back to him. "In fact, why don't you go and get the others." Spike looked up "Buffy, there's something I've got to tell you..." Buffy cut him off, not wanting to hear it. 'He was probably going to say he was in love with me' Buffy thought in discust. "Spike, just go and get Giles" She ordered. Spike shook his head quickly,  
"Slayer, this is really important..."  
"This isn't the time Spike" Buffy cut him off. Spike glared at Buffy in anger.  
"Buffy, if you just listen to me..."  
"NO Spike, I'm through listening to you, if you won't get Giles, then go home. Spike folded his arms, and tried to open his mouth, but a fist landed on it before he could say a word. Spike stumbled back, and Buffy pressed her advantage, grabbing Spike, marching him to the door, and thowing him out onto the street. Spike looked up, dazed, to see the door slam shut. Spike slowly stood, vamping out as his rage grew, and he kicked a trash can savagly, not watching as it slammed through the window of a house three doors down. He calmed down, before looking towards the Summer's house in malace. "I tried to tell you slayer, but you didn't want to listen, I hope you have a bloody heart attack before Wolf's done with you..." still muttering to himself, he looked down the street. Left would take him to his cript, where he could watch a few reruns of passions, shag Harmony a few times, and rip the head off the Buffy doll a few times. To the right would take him to the Magic Box, where that little prick Xander would insult him, Giles would patronize, Willow and Tara would ignore him as much as possible, and none of them would even think to thank him for giving up his night. He turned to the left, defiently, before stopping after a few steps. "Hell!" He snarled angerly "That slayers got me bloody whipped!" He turned around "Me! The Big Bad!" He adressed the silent street. He trudged a few steps to the right before lifting his head and smiling 'It'll be fun to see Wolf give Buffy a nervous breakdown first, though.' he chuckled to himself.  
  
Giles found Buffy at the hospital, watching her mother as she lied, deathly still on the bed, only the monotonous 'beep' of the machine breaking the silence. "Buffy" Giles said quietly, hugging Buffy as she moved to him. "Hi Giles" She said with a shaky smile. "Where are the others?" Giles paced before he spoke. "Willow and Tara are checking though the books once more, in case we missed something, Xander, Anya, and Spike have returned to your house to look for clues." Buffy nodded. Giles looked at Joyce, checking for aparent injuries. "How is she?" He asked quietly. Buffy sat down and hugged herself before replying "The doctors say that she wasn't physically hurt badly,"   
"Thank God for small mercies" Giles muttered softly. Buffy tried to smile, but failed.  
"They say that she's in a..." Buffy's voice faltered. She took a deep breath, steadying herself "She's in a coma" Giles sat next to her,and took hold of her hand in sympathy, while Buffy battled with her emotions. She had managed to straighten her face by the time Xander and Spike walked in. "What? is she dead?" Spike asked spotting Joyces still form. Giles stood up, as Xander glared at Spike, who shrugged smirking. Giles sighed. Bickering with Spike could wait until later. "Did you find anything?" Xander nodded, unusually quiet. Giles looked at him, before realising that Xander wasn't going to say anything, looked at Spike questioningly, as Xander sat next to Buffy, taking her hand. Spike smirked and leaned towards Giles conspiritedly "I don't think useless here could handle the sight of blood" He stage whispered to Giles, who leaned back in distaste. Spike looked around to make sure everyone was listening "Now me," Spike paused before rubbing his stomach "I just get a bit peckish" Spike stumbled back and hit the wall behind him, his hands going to his already injured nose, as Giles looked at his fist in confusion. He couldn't remember deciding to attack Spike. Spike growled at them all. "Sod you lot then, i'm off" Spike, marched out of the room. Giles sighed once again, thought, then sighed agian at the amount of times he was sighing. "Xander? What did you find?" Without looking up, he withdrew a peice of paper from his pocket, and handed it to Giles. Giles eyes skimmed the page, before his eyes widened. He was about to reread the note, before finding it snatched out of his hand, he opened his mouth to complain, when he noticed that it was Buffy who had grabbed the note. He closd his mouth, and silently waited for Buffy's reaction, hoping it wasn't what she thought it was going to be. It was. Buffy marched out of the room instantly. "Buffy!" He called, stepping back quickly as she turned back to him. He remembered what happened last time he had tried to stop her from going to face an increadably powerful foe, even if it was years ago. Her furious expression softened "Giles, could you look after my mom while I'm... away?" Giles, bowing to the inevitable, sighed, chiding himself as he did, and nodded. "Of course, Buffy, perhaps, you would like" Buffy was gone already. Giles almost sighed, before catching himself, and walked back in the room, smiling proudly at his self restraint, before sighing when he remembered the predicament he was in. "Would you mind not sighing every five seconds Giles, its kind of annoying " Xander snapped irratably. Giles, affronted, sat down, without saying a word. He picked up the note, studying it again absently.  
  
"Buffy, like the state your mothers in? You think that's bad? I was rushed with that piece of artwork. Luckily I have someone else with me here that I can experiment on. And I have a nice, big, empty mansion to do it in. I'm sure you know which one. if you want to stop me, you had best hurry, I'm beginnig to feel artistic.  
  
Regards,  
Wolf.  
  
  
  
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Will Buffy save Dawn before the evil Wolf turns her into artwork? Will Spike reveal what he knows about the mystereous Wolf? Will the Wiccas find an answer? Will Joyce recover from her coma? Will Giles be able to control his sighing? Tune in for all these answers and more next time on...  
  
THE BEAST WITHIN 


	4. Moving in

Fulgour's note: This story was going one way (admittedly Mary Sue-ish) when a review got me thinking; and thus the story is being shot off in a completly different direction.  
Enjoy!  
BTW to those UK readers, please don't take offence at Spikes attempt to sing. Remember that he's the Big Bad, whose bark is worse than his nonexistant bite. All Commonwealth country residents who are offended... Why?   
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Yeah, I feel you too   
Feel, those things you do   
In your eyes I see a fire that burns   
To free the you   
That's wanting through   
Deep inside you know,   
The seeds I plant will grow   
One day you will see   
And dare to come down to me   
Yeah c'mon, c'mon now take the chance   
That's right   
Lets dance   
  
Snake, I am the snake   
Tempting, that bite you take   
Let me make your mind   
leave yourself behind   
Be not afraid   
  
I've got what you need   
hunger I will feed   
One day you will see   
And dare to come down to me   
Yeah c'mon, c'mon now take the chance   
That's right   
Lets dance   
  
Yeah Come dancin'   
One day you will see   
And dare to come down to me   
Yeah c'mon, c'mon now take the chance   
That's right   
Lets dance   
  
Yeah, I feel you too   
Feel, those things you do   
In your eyes I see a fire that burns   
To free the you   
That's running through   
Deep inside you know   
seeds I plant will grow   
One day you will see   
And dare to come down to me   
Yeah c'mon, c'mon now take the chance   
That's right   
Let's dance   
It's nice to see you here   
- Metallica  
  
Giles sighed, then slapped himself upside the head, drawing some strange looks from Willow and Tara. The three of them were searching for anything that could possibly be helpful against this 'Wolf' charactor, but so far, there was no luck. Anya had 'helped'for aproximatly forty five seconds, before wandering off somewhere, and Xander and Spike had gone to look for Buffy at the mansion. Giles frowned at that thought. Xander and Spike had grown close, going on patrol together, and backing each other up against demons and - Giles frowned - the other Scoobys. Although the two of them stated that they hated each other, Giles could sense a deepening respect and friendship between the two. Giles sighed, mentally cringed, silently counted to ten, then opened another book. Although Giles really didn't think they would find a big picture of 'Wolf' with instructions to kill on it, they had to try for Buffy's sake. They had to try.  
  
Willow whistled silently to herself, as she read the paragraph in front of her. Although she was researching demons, she had come across a potion that would be very useful for them. She marked the page, and reread the passage. "The Escutcheon potion provides the drinker with a simple protection agaist vampires. A person under the protection of the Escutcheon, if drained or turned by vampiric attack, will return to life in five months. This process is achieved as the drinking of the potion empowers the souls link to earth; even as the body is drained, the soul remains. The potion will cause the body to be rebuilt, which take three months, while binding the soul takes the remaining two. Care should be taken, as if the first body had been turned, but killed before the new body is ready, the demon could attempt to take over the new body. This leads to unforseen circumstances as the body is still alive, not dead, as a vampires is. It is also believed that in that situation, the Soul and the Demon would fight for domination within the body, though neither would be completely dorment." Willow whistled again, impressed with the potion, but sighed in disapointment, finding the actual recipe for the potion missing. It would be useful to know, that even if one of them were killed by a vampire, they would still come back to kick its ass, sort of like 'The Crow' or something, like Brandon Lee with the face paint, maybe not the face paint, but... "Willow, would you please get back to researching?" Giles voice broke into her thoughts. "Sure thing, Giles" Willow responded, chirpily, closing the book with a loud thud and opening another.  
  
"God save our bloody Queen!"  
"Okay Spike,"  
"useless at everything!"  
"You've made your point"  
"and she's boring!"  
"SPIKE!" Spike stopped singing long enough to smirk at Xander, before opening his mouth, and started another verse in a tone deaf, though loud, voice. Xander wincing hurredly whipped out a ten dollar note and threw it to Spike. Spike immidiatly shut up, grinning triumphantly at Xander. "See! I bloody told you!"   
Xander grumbled. "Just because you screw up the anthom doesn't mean that you're not an English patriot, like Giles" Spike looked affronted "Look here, If I sang that in front of Giles, he'd cave my head in with a bloody ax! Songs like that would get you locked up in the tower! Yeah, I'm bad." Xander just looked at him. Spike dropped his pose, and they walked on in silence. "There it is" Spike looked up to see the mansion owned by Angel appear out of the darkness. They both checked their weapons, all bantering ceased, nodded to each other, then jogged towards the mansion.  
  
Dawn looked up in a daze. She couldn't make out where she was. She tried to stand before realising that she was chained down. Footsteps warned her of an approach, and she looked up in fear as her captor entered the room. She squinted at him trying to make him out. There was something familier about him, but she couldn't recall what. Studying him, Dawn realised what he reminded her of; Xander. Wolf squatted down in front of her. "How are you?" He asked, genuine sounding concern in her voice. Dawn looked at him, searching for falsehood, but finding none, shrugged. "I'm Okay" He nodded, stood up and began pasing the room. Dawn, swallowed noisily, and gathered her courage. "You had better let me go. My sister is the slayer, you know" He made no indication of having heard her. She tried again "I mean, she's so going to kick your ass..." his only response was a soft chuckle. "If you even touch me!..." This time he laughed outright, stopped and turned to face her. "Oh, its not me you have to worry about," He whispered. Dawn looked at him, confused. He nodded to the left. Dawn slowly turned her head that way, and watched as a tall, feminine shadow detatched itself to the wall, and moved closer, swaying slightly, as it to invisible music that only she could hear, until her face was in the light. "Hello Kitten" she said, "Have you come to play?"  
  
Buffy ran through the mansion. She had searched all the lower level rooms, of which there were many, and had only one to go. She stepped close, and hesitated as she heard voices through the door. She pressed her ear to the door, in an attempt to eavesdrop. "Miss Edith said that you came to play." Buffy's blood ran cold. There was only one person that could be. "Drusilla" she whispered. 


End file.
